Willis Thomas

American basketball player
Willis Thomas
Personal information
Born1937 (age 86–87)
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolJefferson
(Los Angeles, California)
College
Playing career1967–1968
PositionShooting guard
Number20, 10
Career history
1967Denver Rockets
1967–1968Anaheim Amigos
Career highlights and awards
  • Third-team Parade All-American (1958)
Career ABA statistics
Points555 (9.0 ppg)
Rebounds114 (1.8 rpg)
Assists55 (0.9 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Willis "Lefty" Thomas (born 1937) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'2" guard from LA Harbor College, Thomas played in the American Basketball Association during the 1967–68 season. He started the season with Denver Rockets and scored 39 points in his debut.[1] In December 1967, he was traded to the Anaheim Amigos for Jeff Congdon.[2] In 62 games he totaled 555 points and 55 assists. Prior to him joining the ABA, he played for the Harlem Clowns and other teams that regularly faced the Harlem Globetrotters.[1][3]

In 1958, he led the Jefferson Democrats to the Los Angeles City High School title. For the season he averaged 21.5 points per game, never scoring under 15 points in a game. He was named the City Co-Player of the Year with Bill McGill.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Pluto, Terry (1990). Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 77. ISBN 9780671673901.
  2. ^ "Trade completed". The Park City Daily News. 12 December 1967. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Comedy cage show staged in local gym". The Napa Valley Register. 5 January 1965. p. 8. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  4. ^ "1957-58 All-City Cagers". Los Angeles Times. 14 February 1958. Retrieved 21 May 2021.

External links

  • Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com


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